PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (KMOX) - The Hen House restaurant chain was once a vast empire of eateries across five states in the Midwest, all shaped like red barns with a white trim. But now, there's only a few left in Missouri and Illinois.
KMOX's Kevin Killen stopped by one of the most popular of the remaining locations, in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, on Route 111 just north of Interstate 270.
The manager says they won't be making a comeback, but they've still got a local customer base.
One woman there says the "homestyle" food at Hen House – like chicken livers, liver and onion, white fish, coleslaw and vegetables soup – can't be found at any McDonald's or White Castle.
Related
Another customer admits he loves the biscuits and gravy so much that he takes two cups of gravy home with him after meals. He and his wife say, unfortunatley, their teenage grandkids don't enjoy Hen House as much as they do.
The chain was thriving in the 1980s, based out of Chesterfield, Missouri and operating 40 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri. Hen House Interstate filed for bankruptcy in 1991 and only a few locations in Missouri and Illinois survived.
Related
© 2021 KMOX (Audacy). All rights reserved
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Follow KMOX
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram